Community news: Las Candelas lights up its holiday gala, Crescenta Valley High School graduating class has 50th reunion

Members and husbands gathered for the Las Candelas annual Holiday Party on Dec. 16 at the Valley Hunt Club. The theme of the gala event was “It’s the Hap-Happiest Time of the Year!”

The festive evening included caroling by the Towne Singers “Chambers Singers.”

Those attending were Marcia and Dr. John Lytle, Diane and Newt Russell, Debbie and Bruce Hinckley, Fran and Terry Buchanan, Ann and Stan Jones, Diane Johnson, Valery Moorhead, Paul Greene and Marion Graydon Greene, Jeannie Flint and David Werbelow, Ellyn and Rich Semler, Ann and Karl Ways, Kathy Walker and Chris Walker, Margaret Steenken,

Carole DePaul, Pattie McCornick, Cathy and Bob Keen, Shirley Johnstone and Joe King, Linda and Bob Gregg, Ruth and Gerald Barrone, Ginny and John Simpson, Bobbi and Sal Gangi, JC and John Byer, Doris Boyer and Dr. DeGrassi, Dianne Endsley, Sharon and Doug Anderson, Glady and Jack Kabateck, Harriet and Bob Rector, Anna and Bill Brewer, Bette Ryan and Fred Keenan, Patti and Ron Baker, Jose and Monica Sierra, Esther and Ken Bowen, Mary Barber, Marilyn Butler, Mary and Dr. Donald Boger, Carolyn and Ron Beaton, Jeri Benton and Bob Clark.

Las Candelas is celebrating 60 years of providing volunteer service to emotionally disturbed children and promoting better understanding of the mental health needs of children. This organization provides services at Glendale Healthy Kids, Glendale YWCA, Hillsides Education Center, Hathaway/Sycamores Center and Didi Hirsch Mental Health, (formerly Verdugo Mental Health).

CV graduating class has 50th reunion

A 50-year reunion is being planned by members of the first class to graduate from Crescenta Valley High School in 1963.

They will celebrate June 22 and 23 at Angeles National Golf Club.

Planning committee members are seeking addresses and email addresses of classmates to notify them of the event. Former Falcons are asked to contact Denice “Pruden” Heatherington at d.prudenheatherington@yahoo.com or Gene Wilcott at gwilcott@charter.net.

Plans include a Saturday night “Buffet of Memories: An Evening with Old Friends, Fine Food & Good Spirits,” and a Sunday brunch.

Area residents might remember when the “old” Clark Junior High campus was converted into a high school in the fall of 1960, and there was only a sophomore class. Those students were the first to graduate from the new high school, and they established the school mascot, school colors, school song (written by class faculty advisor Shirley Nute) and many other traditions.

Class president Tim MacDonald heads a committee composed of Heatherington, Wilcott, Miles Olin, Kathie “Schreck” Olin, Susie “Schunck” Gorman, Merry “Delbridge” Shelburne, Terry “Wudke” Baugh, Donna “Gamper” Didden, Gayle “Hasselschwert” Kemper, and class advisor Nute, with special thanks to the “Keepers of the List,” Dennis and Mary “MacArthur” LeBlanc.

Bob Hope comedy writer is guest

Providence St. Joseph Medical Center Guild will have Bob Hope’s comedy writer Gene Parret as the guest speaker at today’s meeting held at the Burbank medical center.

Parret worked on Hope’s writing staff for 28 years, from 1969 until the comic’s retirement, many of those years as Hope’s head writer. He also wrote for all of Hope’s personal appearances and TV specials traveling with Hope and his troupe to the war zones. He also wrote for other comedians and won seven Emmy nominations and other awards.

Area Tri Delta celebrates 4 holidays

Nancy and Bob Wagner, of La Cañada Flintridge, hosted members of the San Gabriel-Crescenta Valley Alumnae Chapter of Delta Delta Delta and their guests at the group’s annual Christmas party.

Attendees always enjoy seeing the extensive Snow Village scenes using the hundreds of pieces Nancy and Bob have collected over the years. Nancy says she starts setting up in early October to get ready for the event.

Joining in the celebration were La Cañada residents Charlotte Holley, Janice and Duane Paul, Mary Strauss, and Phyllis and Mike Trueblood. Other Tri Deltas attending were Patty and Bill Bird, Gloria Cartozian, Joan Humphries, George Humphries and Betty Sheridan from Pasadena; Carol Thueson from Altadena; Ann and Jack Conley and Gwen and Tom Johnson, from Glendale; Sara Martinez from Monrovia; Christina, Mark and 2-year-old Helene Houser from Glendora; and Amy and Glenn Putnam from Sierra Madre.

Each member brought their favorite hors d’oeuvres to share, and also donations that will be given to Ronald McDonald House Pasadena in January as part of the Southern California area wide “Delta Love Day.”

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JOYCE RUDOLPH can be contacted at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.